Another Amazing Race

Coming up soon (Sunday 19 March), it will be time again for the Hysan Healthy Hike and Run. As its sponsor for the past seven years we have seen a few changes in this event, such as Hong Kong’s increasing embrace of this invigorating but fascinating sport. Other things remain the same, however, including the courses for the three races that run through some of Hong Kong’s most breathtakingly beautiful scenery.

Something else that hasn’t changed are the three distance categories — the 5km (mostly for family and kids), the 13km (good for newcomers to trail races) and the 21km (for the more experienced). The shorter scenic course starts at the secluded country park road of Tai Tong Shan, before climbing and heading down dirt tracks, while those taking part in the longer races get to run next to the Tai Lam Chung Reservoir.

Even a veteran distance trail runner such as Hysan’s own Joseph Chu is impressed by the race. “The course is about as scenic as it gets in Hong Kong, and mid-March is still a good time for something like this because the mornings are still brisk and not too humid. It is not quite the same as the 100km hikes that I am more used to, but it is great to see a lot of our colleagues joining in. It is sporty and social.”

Joseph was one of dozens of Hysan employees signing up for this year’s Hike and Run, and Hysan’s support for trail races has encouraged more than a few colleagues to take part in other events as well. For example, at least two teams of Hysan runners have taken part in the Oxfam Trailwalkers over the past two years.

“Trail running and hiking have really taken off in the past decade or so,” says Mark Tung, Hysan’s Assistant General Manager of Corporate Communications. “In fact, when we first started sponsoring the event in 2011, you just didn’t hear many people talking about hiking or running. Now, shops selling running gear are everywhere, plenty of which are within Hysan’s retail portfolio. We also have quite a few hiking outlets. We are keen to bring more people to this sport, which can be done very simply or with a lot of sophisticated equipment. More importantly, a good training regime is key to ensuring you are fit enough to enjoy the hikes and the races.”

So what does Hysan plan for the sport from this point on? “We have a few things up our sleeves,” says Mark. “Keep an eye out for what’s happening at Lee Gardens around the time of the Hike and Run, and also Hong Kong’s trail running calendar for 2017. We hope to highlight our hiking and running involvement with something much closer to our home base.”

For now, though, be sure to bring the whole family along to the Hysan Healthy Hike and Run this March — and enjoy the best of what the New Territories has to offer!